WC 2006 Official Thread

[theasfl]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

RMY I would only disagree with one of your selections, and you know which one that is.

Ecuador over England?

[bababui]

Originally Posted by theasfl

where was Chisanga today?

He had to work and was scared of being jumped by angry USA fans

[redmarkYankees]

Originally Posted by theasfl

Ecuador over England?

sdpm thinks Brazil will beat Ghana, as most people do. Ecuador beating England isn't out of the question if we don't play better than we have been, but we still have a core of players to do well if they remember the basics before it's too late.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by redmarkYankees

I do.

Actually, I might go further... looking at the way the draw has shaped up, I might stick a tenner on Ghana to reach the final. While I think Spain look good, Ghana are exactly the sort of team to test them. Apart from Spain, I think that half of the draw looks weak - Brazil and Italy are not, IMHO, the forces they might have been.

edit... or have I got the semis wrong?... need sdpm, or the BBC to use a numbering system like sdpm has.

You have got it wrong - Italy are in the top half.

In the Semifinals (from the numbering I used), winner 1/2 will play winner 3/4, and winner 5/6 will play winner 7/8.

Hope that helps.

Or you can look at a bracket - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footbal...nockout_stages

[redmarkYankees]

Originally Posted by Sdpm100

You have got it wrong - Italy are in the top half.

In the Semifinals (from the numbering I used), winner 1/2 will play winner 3/4, and winner 5/6 will play winner 7/8.

Hope that helps.

Or you can look at a bracket - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footbal...nockout_stages

Thanks, I'd half realised my mistake, but then couldn't be bothered working it out. I should have guessed from the numbers .

edit: So Ghana might face England.

[theasfl]

Originally Posted by redmarkYankees

I've not been hugely impressed by Mexico, to be honest. Argentina look top class, but it's football, so one bad performance...

"...Ill be rooting for the Mexicans.

[theasfl]

Originally Posted by bababui

He had to work and was scared of being jumped by angry USA fans

dont blame him

[theasfl]

Final First Round Standings:

Group A
Germany 3-0-0 9 pts (+6)
Ecuador 2-1-0 6 pts (+2)
Poland 1-2-0 3 pts (-2)
Costa Rica 0-3-0 0 pts (-6)

Group B
England 2-0-1 7 pts (+3)
Sweden 1-0-2 5 pts (+1)
Paraguay 1-2-0 3 pts (0)
Trinidad 0-2-1 1 pt (-4)

Group C
Argentina 2-0-1 7 pts (+7)
Netherlands 2-0-1 7 pts (+2)
Ivory Coast 1-2-0 3 pts (-1)
Serbia & M 0-3-0 0 pts (-8)

Group D
Portugal 3-0-0 9 pts (+4)
Mexico 1-1-1 4 pts (+1)
Angola 0-1-2 2 pts (-1)
Iran 0-2-1 1 pt (-4)

Group E
Italy 2-0-1 7 pts (+4)
Ghana 2-1-0 6 pts (+1)
Czech Rep 1-2-0 3 pts (-1)
USA 0-2-1 1 pt (-4)

Group F
Brazil 3-0-0 9 pts (+6)
Australia 1-1-1 4 pts (0)
Croatia 0-1-2 2 pts (-1)
Japan 0-2-1 1 pt (-5)

Group G
Switzerland 2-0-1 7 pts (+4)
France 1-0-2 5 pts (+2)
Korea 1-1-1 4 pts (-1)
Togo 0-3-0 0 pts (-5)

Group H
Spain 3-0-0 9 pts (+7)
Ukraine 2-1-0 6 pts (+1)
Tunisia 0-2-1 1 pt (-3)
Saudi Arabia 0-2-1 1 pt (-5)

[bababui]

Evening gentlemen..I feel lucky to be able to absorb a bit more of the game from all you

[redmarkYankees]

Originally Posted by theasfl

"...Ill be rooting for the Mexicans.

Fair enough, you CONCACAF folks should stick together . Apart from England, I'll generally root for teams who play a style I like - and I'm a good-tempo-pass-and-move purist, so I'd love to see Argentina vs Germany, both very good looking teams in this tournament. (Which is funny for an Englishman to say, given recent history).

[redmarkYankees]

Latest odds ('digital odds'):

Brazil 4.5
Argentina 4.7
Italy 9.2
Germany 9.4
England 10.5
Spain 13.5
Netherlands 18.5
France 23
Portugal 30
Sweden 70
Ukraine 85
Switzerland 85
Australia 100
Ghana 130
Mexico 150
Ecuador 160

A few nice value bets there, IMO.

[bababui]

Latest from footiemanager.com


Lee Murray (G10)Posted - 23 Jun 2006 22:9
I agree its FIFA's fault for totally different reasons. Refs from non european or south american countries are on the whole extremely poor. They are not as well trained and thus as well skilled. FIFA trying to include as many different nations as possible are simply making the standard of refereeing fall and fall. One 4th official for an England game was from Benin- I'm sorry but what the hell do they know about football? I suspect its ALOT easier to be a top flight referee.

[theasfl]

Unofficial Overall 17-32 Final Standings:

(17) Korea 		1-1-1 4 pts (3-4) -1
(18) Paraguay 		1-2-0 3 pts (2-2) 0
(19) Ivory Coast	1-2-0 3 pts (5-6) -1
(20) Czech Republic	1-2-0 3 pts (3-4) -1
(21) Poland		1-2-0 3 pts (2-4) -2
(22) Croatia		0-1-2 2 pts (2-3) -1
(23) Angola		0-1-2 2 pts (1-2) -1
(24) Tunisia		0-2-1 1 pt  (3-6) -3
(25) USA		0-2-1 1 pt  (2-6) -4*
(26) Iran		0-2-1 1 pt  (2-6) -4*
(27) Trinidad & Tobago	0-2-1 1 pt  (0-4) -4
(28) Japan		0-2-1 1 pt  (2-7) -5*
(29) Saudi Arabia	0-2-1 1 pt  (2-7) -5*
(30) Togo		0-3-0 0 pts (1-6) -5
(31) Costa Rica		0-3-0 0 pts (3-9) -6
(32) Serbia&Montenegro	0-3-0 0 pts (2-10) -8

*lots need to be drawn to actually break the tie...

Switzerland were the only team not to concede a goal and the Trinis were the only teams not to score a goal.

[redmarkYankees]

Originally Posted by theasfl

Switzerland were the only team not to concede a goal

Interesting stat - though in retrospect, a pretty weak group.

[redmarkYankees]

Originally Posted by theasfl

(25) USA 0-2-1 1 pt (2-6) -4*
(26) Iran 0-2-1 1 pt (2-6) -4*
*lots need to be drawn to actually break the tie...

Or, an invasion maybe...

[theasfl]

Originally Posted by redmarkYankees

Or, an invasion maybe...

North Korea would likely come first, unless we go in from Iraq...but yeah, that could be designated as the tiebreaker by FIFA as well.

[theasfl]

Originally Posted by redmarkYankees

Latest odds ('digital odds'):

Brazil 4.5
Argentina 4.7
Italy 9.2
Germany 9.4
England 10.5
Spain 13.5
Netherlands 18.5
France 23
Portugal 30
Sweden 70
Ukraine 85
Switzerland 85
Australia 100
Ghana 130
Mexico 150
Ecuador 160

A few nice value bets there, IMO.

Mexico being the 2nd to longest shot surprises me

[theasfl]

why the hell is SportsCenter still showing highlights from the USA-Ghana game...?

[The Professor]

Originally Posted by theasfl

why the hell is SportsCenter still showing highlights from the USA-Ghana game...?

The USA-Ghana game, Bruce Arena and how unexceptional Donovan was will all still be the main soccer news even when the World Cup final is being decided. The USA is out -- thanks to bad refs and conspiracy calls -- and the rest of the world is going on playing their silly game not knowing it's all for peanuts since the most powerful nation in the world is gone. I mean, how can a sporting event be legit if the USA can't top it?

World Cup, World Slop. Don't you know, WE ARE THE WORLD!

[bababui]

Anyone playing soccernets WC pickem?? My results prove that knowledge of soccer has nothing to do with predicting winners

Bababui PTS: 32 PCT: 96.0 RK: 4054


Jun 09, 2006 Picks Correct: 1/2
Jun 10, 2006 Picks Correct: 2/3
Jun 11, 2006 Picks Correct: 2/3
Jun 12, 2006 Picks Correct: 1/3
Jun 13, 2006 Picks Correct: 2/3
Jun 14, 2006 Picks Correct: 3/3
Jun 15, 2006 Picks Correct: 2/3
Jun 16, 2006 Picks Correct: 2/3
Jun 17, 2006 Picks Correct: 1/3
Jun 18, 2006 Picks Correct: 2/3
Jun 19, 2006 Picks Correct: 2/3
Jun 20, 2006 Picks Correct: 3/4
Jun 21, 2006 Picks Correct: 3/4
Jun 22, 2006 Picks Correct: 3/4
Jun 23, 2006 Picks Correct: 3/4